Mail-catcher.



G. W. WALLIN.

MAIL GATGHER.

APPLICATION FILED 111111110, 1911.

Patented Sept. 12, 1911.

2 8HBBTS-SHEET 1.

1311 1101 1 301; ei/Z Wale! 1 2 G. W] WALLIN. MAIL CATCHBR. I I APPLICATION FILED JUNE 10, 1911; i

1 002,885, Patented Sept. 12,1911.

a i ehm azzm GEORGE W. WALLIN, OF MoCOO Ii JUNCTION, NEBRASKA.

MAILCATQHER.

1,llt)2,885.

Specification of Letters Patent. Patented Sept. 12, T911.

Application filed June 10, 1911. Serial. No. 632,470.

To all whom it may concern: I

Be it known that I, Grouse W'. VVALm i, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of McCool Junction, in the county of York and State of Nebraska, have invented cer tain new and useful Improvementsin Mail- Catohers, of which the following is a specification, reference being had to the accompanying drawings.

his invention. has relation to an imyn-oved catcher employed in connection with a mail car; and the object oi my invention is to provide a device of this general character ot' a simple and inexpensive nature and of a durable construction which shall be capable of convenient and accurate ad ustment in position within a car door frame, to catch andhold a mail bag, suspended from a suitable crane.

l-Vith these and other objects in view, the present invention consists in the cornbination and arrangement of parts as will be hereinafter more fully described and finally pointed out in the appended claims, it being further understood that changes in the specific structure shown and described may be made within the scope of the claims,

Fig. 4-, an elevational "view with portions broken away of my mailv catcher. Fig. 5, shows the front view of the catcher with the clasping arms in an open position. Fig. (3, shows an enlarged fragmentary detail of the link disclosing the collar with the bar dividing the same into two equal sections, and 7 and 8, show detail views of the two clasping members as detached.

l n the accompanying drawings the letter A. designates a fragmentary portion of aniail :ar provided with the door frame B. This door frame at two suitable opposite points is provided with the bearings 2, arranged to pivotally hold the rock shaft 1, having the stop shoulders 3,, Secured to this rock shaft 1, as shown in Fig. 2, is the lever 4, having the boss 5, to. receive the shaft 1. This lever at one end is provided with the handle 5, while secured near the outer end of the lever 4, as shown in Figs. 4: and 5, is the striding head 6, which is secured to the lever 4t through. the intermedium of the square block 7, a set screw 8, passing through this head and blpck so that this head is adjustably secured to the lover 4. The striding head (2, is provided with an aperture through which extends the stud 9, this stud being provided with the guide shoulder 10, and carryingthe washer plate 11, held to the stud by means of the nut 12.

Firmly secured to the striding head 6, is an oblong base plate 13, which has the downward extending flange 14, along its forward edge, whilefto the rear I provide two counterpartstop cars 15, which curve upwardly and forwardly and are held in spaced relation, as shown in l? 2 and 3. Pivotally held to the stud 9, are two equit'ormed bars each including an apertured car 16. for engagementwith the stud 9, and extemling from each ear 16, in one direction is a pouch clasping; arm 17, each arm terminating in a reversely curved end 18, while a curved tang 20, extends from each ear in an opposite direction.- As shown in Figs. 2 and 3, these tangs 20, are curved laterally outward in opposite directions.

Slidably held upon the studf), and in engagement with the guide. shoulder 10, is the lint: 22, which at its forward end carries the resilient bowed yoke 23, which encompasses the clasping arms 17, shown in Fig- 3. At the end opposite the yoke 28. the link is provided with the'collur 25, which is divided into two sections by means of the spanner bar 26, secured to the link collar by means of the rivet 19, as shown in Fig. 6, and dividing the collar into two sections. As shown in the drawings, the tangs 2Q, extend through the collar 25, o rving in'o'ppo" site directions.

The operation of my device is very simple. ll'hon it is intended to clasp and catch the mail pouch. the lever 4, is swung in a horizontal position so that the arms 17, will clasp the mail pouch intermediate of its ends. In Fig". 1, a mail pouch D, is shown, suspemled-in the usual manner from a crane E. As shown. the pouch is squarely in the path of the catcher when the lever 4, is held in a horizontal position. In adjusting the erator draws the yoke 23, forward which results in the bar 26, of the divided collar 25, forcing the tangs 20, outward, so that the two clasping members 17, are finally held in a stopped position within and against, the ears 15, as shown in F ig. 3. In this position of the catcher, the resilient yoke 23, is positioned near the forward ends of the bowed clasping arms 17. Now on coming into contact with the mail pouch, the shock of the impact is partly taken up by the curved resilient bowed yoke 23, which at the same time flies back, and in its retrograde movement the collar 25, actuates the tangs 20, to close the arms, to firmly -clasp the pouch, the rearward movement of the link being stopped by the shoulder 10, coming into contact with the forward end of the link, as. will be understood in referring to- Fig. 3, where the closed position of the arms is shown. The spread-of the arms 17. is limited by the stop arms 15. The collar 25, operates as a detent to hold the arms in a clasped position. The bag once having been clasped, is firmly held between the arms and cannot become casually detached. The mail pouch is finally released in clasping the yoke and drawing the same forward, which results in the pouch being shoved outward while the arms are spread.

A mail catcher constructed according to my invent-ion is simple and inexpensive and both durable and eflicient in operation, and may be easily adjusted between the door frame of amail car. So also could the mail catcher be held stationary while the pouch would be suspended from a moving car, to serve in delivering a mail pouch from a moving car to a stationary crane.

Having thus described my saidinvention, what Iclaim as new and desire to secure by United States Letters Patent is 1. A mail bag catcher having in combina tion, a rock shaft, a lever secured to said roek shaft, a' striding head adjustably seclured to said lever, an oblong base plate secured to said head having a downwardly two. rearextending forward flange and wardly positioned upwardly and forwardly curved spaced stop cars, a stud secured centrally to said base between said ears having a guide shoulder, two equiformed barspivotally held to said stud, each comprising an apertured ear for engagement with said stud from which extends in one direction a bowed clasping arm terminating in a: reversely curved end, a curved tang extending from each ear in an opposite direction, said tangs being curved laterally outward, and a link slidably held upon said shoulder having av resilient bowed yoke at one end encompassing said clasping arms and at the other being provided with a divided collar said tangs extending through said collar, said stop ears limiting the spread of said arms.

2. A mail bag catcher having in combination, a rockshaft, a lever secured to said rock shaft, a striding head adjustably secured to said lever, an oblong base plate secured to said head having a. downwardly extending forward flange and two rearwardly positioned upwardly and forwardly curved spaced stop cars, a stud secured centrally to said base between said ears having a guide shoulder, two equiformed bars pivotally held to said stud, each comprising an apertu'red ear for engagement with said stud from which extends in one direction a bowed clasping arm tern'iinating in a reversely curved end, a curved tang extending from each ear in an opposite direction, said tangs being curved laterally outward, a link slidably held upon said shoulder having a resilient bowed yoke at one end encompassing said clasping arms and at the other being provided with a divided collar said tangs extending through said collar, said step ears limiting the spread of said arms, and means to slidably hold said link to said stud.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature, in presence of two witnesses.

GEORGE W. lVAIJLIN.

Witnesses:

A. L. MOORE, J. W. Harmon. 

